Jeringonza

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Jeringonza is a Spanish language game played by children all over Latin America. It consists of adding the letter p after each vowel of a word, and repeating the vowel. For example, Carlos turns into Cápar-lopos.

For syllables with multiple vowels, usually only the stressed vowel is used. Australia becomes Apaus-trapa-liapa. Some people treat all vowels alike: they would say Apa-upus-trapa-lipi-apa. Yet another variant inserts the p+wowel at the end of all syllables instead of just after the vowel: Carlos does not become Cápar-lopos in this version, but Carpa-lospo.

This wordplay receives different names in different Spanish-speaking countries: jeringozo in Argentina and Uruguay, jeringonzo in Colombia, jerigonzo, jerigonza or jerigoncio in Chile, and so on. In other countries it is called simply idioma de la pe (Spanish for P-language). Most names derive from the Spanish word jerigonza, which can mean either jargon or gibberish.

This game, with almost identical rules but using the Brazilian Portuguese language, is popular with Brazilian children under the name of Língua do Pê (Portuguese for P-language).

In other Spanish-speaking countries, similar games add other syllables instead of p+vowel. There are variants that use f instead of p, or add ti, cuti, or chi before each syllable (thus giving ticar-tilós and tiáus-titrá-tiliá for the previous examples).